Apparatus for electroplating by hand



Aug. 30, 19386 7 M. SCHLOTTER APPARATUS FOR ELECTROPLATING BY HAND Filed March 28, 1955 s Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS Aug. 30, 1938. M. SCHLOTTER 2,123,331

- APPARATUS FOR ELECTROPLATING BY HAND Filed March 28 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 REcr/F/ER ALTERNATOR [FETYF/ER 14 ALTERNATOR 1/ RECTIFIER ALTER/VATOR\ 7- I INVENTOR.

MA Jew/.6 7-7-52 h ATT RNEw Aug. 30, 1 938. M. SCHLOTTER 7 2,128,331

APPARATUS FOR ELECTROPLATING BY HAND Filed March 28. 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet s MxJcHL5rrs/a A'ITORNEB INVENTOR.

Patented Aug. 30, 1 938 I I V I I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE" Max Schltitter, Berlin, Germany Application March 28, 1935, Serial No. 13,445 In Germany April 16, 1934 l 2 Claims. (Cl. 171-97) My present invention relates to apparatus for plating kit showing the position of the electric electroplating surfaces by a local application of system therein and its connection to the anode electrolyte, anode and electrolytic current as, for and cathode. I example, in apparatus that may be positioned and Fig. 2 is a plan of the kit shown in Fig. 1.

manipulated by hand on the surface to be plated, Fig. 3 is a diagram of the circuit for alternating 5 to replace worn spots or for other purposes. current.

Heret ofore in apparatus of the above type the Fig. 4 is a similar diagram of a circuit for source of electrolytic current has either been direct current. placed in the anode itself or has comprised a Fig. 5 is a diagram of a circuit that may be y m Containing rotating parts. When the connected to either alternating or direct current. 1 source of current is located in the anode itself Fig.6 isa diagrammatic sketch of an automatic which is relatively small in dimension, only weak circuit for connection either to an alternating or currents can be used, as high capacity batteries direct current. are heavy and cumbersome. Storage batteries Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic sketch of connections are disadvantageous as a source of current inasto anodes of different surface areas or dimensions, 15

much as they have a very great weighiafor the and current output, must be serviced carefully and Fig. 8 is a part sectional view of an anode. charged frequently and are, therefore, not at all Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, these figures show times available for use. They are particularly the arrangement of the electric system in its relaunsuitable for apparatus that must-be transtion to other articles in the kit i. The system ported or carried. Therefore, batteries of this for supplying the low voltage electroplating curtype have the disadvantage also inherent inrent from higher tension lighting circuit energy systems that have rotating parts that their servis located in a compartment 2 from which exicing charges are high and they are not suitable tend the leads 3 for plugging into the light cirfor use by unskilled persons. cult, and the low tension'leads 4 and 4', one of 25 My invention provides a current supply means which connects with the hand operated anode 5, for anodes of the above type which may be conand the other of which is connected to a clip 5' nected to the usual lighting circuits and which for connecting the article to be plated, as a cathtransforms energy from such circuits to a suitode. These various lead wires and plating eleable electrolytic current by means of a system ments maybe enclosed in the kit when not in 30 without rotating parts. This energy and current use. This kit may also contain the other articlestransforming system may, therefore, be enclosed used in plating as, for example, a cleaning brush or sealed in a chamber or compartment of an 6, a shelf 1 for holding the anodes, and bottles 8 electroplating kit containing materials and tools for electrolyte liquid in compartments 9, and a for the galvanizing operation so that it will not .bathcontainer Ill. 35 be touched or disturbed. The kit or apparatus In Fig. 3 is illustrated diagrammatically a sysis, therefore, always ready for operation. .tem for use with alternating current circuits. In

The apparatus may be plugged in or connected this system the wires 3 are connected to a step to an alternating current ,or to a direct current. down transformer H, the low tension circuit I2 40 When connected to an alternating current or which leads through a rectifier l3 and a resist- 40 lighting circuit, the system comprises an alterance ll to the wires 4 for connection to the nating current transformer and a static rectifier, anode 5 and the clips 5 for the article to be that is one of the electrolytic or similar type and plated. The rectifier l3 may be of any suitable without rotating parts. For connection to a distatic type whereby the alternating low tension rect current source or lighting circuit an alternacurrents may be rectified to direct current. This 45 tor is provided which transforms the direct ourrectifier may, therefore, be of any suitable elecrent into alternating current of low voltage and trolytic, vapor or other type.

, which is supplied to the static rectifier where it The system shown diagrammatically in Fig. 4

is again transformed into direct current of low is for connection to a direct current lighting cirvoltage. Preferably, in accordance with my in cuit. In this system the wires 3 from the light- 50 vention, the system is arranged so that it may ing circuit lead to an alternator ii in which they be used with both alternating and direct current. are changed to a low tension alternating cur- The various features of the invention are illusrent. This low tension alternating current then trated in the accompanying drawings, in whichpasses through wires 66 to the static rectifier i1 Fi 1 is a diagrammatic sketch of an electrowhere it is changed to direct current. From the Ill rectifier I! the low tension direct current is taken off through the wires 4, a suitable resistance being included.

The system shown in Fig. may be connected to either a direct or alternating current lighting circuit. As in Fig. 3, it includes the step down transformer l I to the high potential terminals I! of which the lead wires 3 may be connected directly through a double throw switch 10. The low tension alternating current from the stepped down side of the transformer then passes through the wires l2 and rectifier ii to the wires 4 as in the system of Fig. 3.

When the apparatus is to be used for direct current the switch is moved out of contact with the high tension terminals I 9 of the transformer ll into contact with terminals 2| that lead to an alternator 22 similar to that of Fig. 4 but delivering current at the potential of the lighting circuit. The alternating current from the alternator 22 is then conducted through conductor wires 23 to other blades 24 of the double throw switch which connect these wires to the high tension terminals IQ of the transformer ll. Thereafter, the current passes to the transformer H as in the case of an alternating current circuit.

When the switch 20 is thrown to connect the wires 3 directly to the transformer H, the switch 24 is swung to open position, being movable with the switch 20.

The system shown in Fig. 6 is usable with either airernating or direct current and contains mechanisms that automatically adjust the apparatus for either alternating or direct current. When the apparatus is connected to a direct current lighting circuit, current from the latter passes through the inductive or choke coils 25 to an alternator 24 where they are transformed into alternating current. This alternating'current then passes through lead wires 21 and switches 28 to the high tension terminals 29 of a step down transformer 30. The low tension alternating current is taken from the low potential side of the transformer 30 through lead wires 3| to the rectifier 32 and thence to the wires! which include the usual resistance H.

In passing through the choke coils 25 the direct current energizes the latter and thereby opens the switches 13 which have armatures 'attracted by the energizing of the coils 25. This breaks an alternating or by-pass circuit leading through the wires 34 and 45 to the condensers 36 and thereby prevents any striking back of the alternating current from the high potential terminals 29 of the transformer 30 through the con-; ductor wires 31 and solenoids 38 which are connected to the condensers 86.

When the system is connected to an alternating current lighting circuit the choke coils 25 become de-energized or. de-magnetized sumciently to permit the switches 33 to close. Then current flows from the lead wires 3 through the by-pass wires 34 and switches 31 to the wires 35 and condensers 38. From the latter the alternating current is transmitted through the solenoids 38, which are non-choking coils, and thence through the connecting wires 11 to thehigh tension terminals 29 of the transformer 30. From the latter the stepped down low tension alternating currents to the wires 5 and 5'. The passage of the alternating current through the solenoids 38 energizes the latter and thus opens the switches 28 which are controlled electromagnetically by the pass through the rectifier 32 and solenoids 38 and prevent a back surging of the alternating current through the connector wires 21 to the alternator 28. Accordingly, this system may be plugged into an alternating or direct current lighting circuit without any adjustment or action on the part of the operator.

To assure a correct reaction of the switches or relays 38, 28, even when no current is drawn from the low voltage side, a ballast resistance 39 is provided across the low potential terminals of the transformer 30.

The particular advantage of the system of Fig. 6 is that when connecting to a direct current circuit it is not necessary to check up on the poles. Whichever connection isused in any particular case, the current strength in the case of a short circuit in the off-take low voltage direct current may always be limited to a degree that is harmless for the current source by the resistance H which is permanently built into the low voltage side.

Inasmuch as corrosion resisting deposits of good appearance can only be obtained if the current density is kept within a permissible limit for each electrolyte, the surface area of the anodes is kept the same, although their shapes, curvatures and appearance may differ one from the other. In this case the leads 4 may be permanently connected to the current source and the differently shaped anodes may be fastened to the free ends of the leads as, for example, by plugging therein. In certain cases, however, where articles of different dimensions are to be plated, anodes of various surface areas may be required. The current density to be used is thus different in the variouscases, and when the apparatus is to be used by unskilled workers it is so arranged that the maximum permissible current is automatically switched in.

Several outlets from the transformer may be provided from the rectifier to one contact box for each such outlet or tap into which may be plugged the leads from different anodes; or, for each anode, a resistance 39 corresponding to the area of the anode may be built in in advance of the contact sockets 40 for the respective anodes, as in Fig. 7, with a common connection from these sockets to the transformer. To prevent confusing the different anode connections, the lead wires to the anode may be permanently connected to the latter and the free end of the lead wires may be given distinctive shapes, for instance, different diameters. The leads to the anodes, which have smaller areas and are therefore to be operated at lower current densities, will have plugs 4| of larger diameter than those of larger area which operate at higher current densities. This prevents an overload through plugging of a thin plug into a larger socket; or, to ensure against confusion, the free end of each lead that is permanently connected to an anode may bear a different arrangement of the two contact plugs as, for example, the different distances between these plugs and that of other anodes.

If it is desired to work with anodes of different surface areas and to have the leads to these anodes permanently connected to the current source, and to use only one lead for all anodes, an automatic setting of the proper current density may be provided by building into each anode permanently a rheostat switch or cut-out switch as shown at 42 in Fig. 8, which automatically limits the current in accordance with the surface area of the anode.

' amass:

Through the above invention I have therefore provided a system in which energy from the ordi nary house lighting circuits may be used without the inter-position or rotating parts to supply low tension direct current for electroplating. I have also provided systems whereby an apparatus may be used that will alter automatically with direct or alternating circuits. and in which the proper current density is maintained under various plating conditions.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus adapted to deliver to a load circuit a direct current voltage from an alternating or a direct current source, said apparatus including an alternating current transformer having primary and secondary windings in correct ratio to produce an induced alternating current at a desired voltage for said load circuit, two electrlcai circuits for energizing said primary winding, one or said circuits having a relatively high alternating current resistance and a relatively low direct current resistance and including means to convert direct current into pulsating current and means to energize the said primary winding with said pulsating current, the other of said circuits having a relatively highdirect current resistance and a relatively low alternating current resistance and being adapted to pass the current from said source directly through said primary winding, electro-magnetic switch means adapted to be energized by the current from said source to open the second said circuit when the current from said source is direct current and to permit the current from the source to pass only into the first said circuit, a solenoid switch means adapted to be energised by the current from said source to open the first said circuit when the current from said source is alternating current and to permit the current to pass only into the second said circuit, a rectifier device, means to pass the induced current in said secondary winding through the rectifier device, and means toi'eed cluding an alternating current transformer pro-' vided with primary and secondary windings having a ratio adapted to produce in said secondary winding an induced alternating current of desired voltage for said load circuit, a pair of terminals for connection with said source, an electrical circuit including a direct current alternator device electrically connected across said terminals, 9. second electrical circuit for impressing the output oi. said alternator device across the primary winding of said transformer, a third electrical circuit of relatively high direct current resistance for im pressing the current at said terminals across the primary winding oi said transformer, an electro magnetic switch. having magnetic coil of reia tivel'y high alternating current resistance and a switch arm adapted to he moved to circuit open ing position upon energiaation of said coll by di rect current and to he returned to circuit closing position upon deenergization of said coil, means to electrically connect the said magnetic coil in series with said alternator device in said first circuit, means to electrically connect said switch arm electrically in series in said third circuit, a solenoid actuated switch having a solenoid coil and a switch arm adapted to be moved to open position upon energization of said coil by alternating current and to be returned to closed position upon de-energization of said coil, means to electrically connect the said solenoid coil electrically in series in said third circuit and means to electrically connect said switch arm electrically in series in said second circuit, a rectifier device, circuit means topass the induced current in said secondary winding through the rectifier device,

and circuit means to feed the output current of said rectiflerjdevice into said load circuit.

MAX SC 

